Resource Review: Latin Grammars

August 30, 2010

On to latin grammars, a subject I know very little about indeed. Thank heavens for Jenkins, who rounds up the top choices very neatly. This post covers the most popular latin grammars for English-speakers; others will follow with more specialized works. Most grammars are kept in the stacks at the UGA library; many also live in the Alexander Room in Park Hall.

The newest, and most elementary, is James Moorwood, A Latin Grammar (1999), which is at Main 3rd Floor PA2087.5 .M67 1999. Jenkins (no. 537) describes it as “relatively abbreviated” but “easy to navigate and more comprehensible [than others] to contemporary students.” It is widely available in paperback from under $20, so probably many students purchase this. Although an Oxford publication, it is not available through Oxford Reference Online.

The traditional standby is Allen and Greenough’s New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges, which we have at UGA (Main 3rd Floor PA2087 .A525 1983 and Alexander Room ) and is also available online at Perseus. The 2001 reprint includes Anne Mahoney, Overview of Latin Syntax (2000), which is also available online at Perseus. Jenkins (no. 526) has faint praise, but praise nonetheless: “a quite reliable descriptive grammar of latin, possibly the best available in English.” This too is available in print relatively cheaply (lists at $38, but Amazon currently has it for $26).

Less preferred, according to Jenkins (no. 531) is Hale and Buck, A Latin Grammar, at Main 3rd Floor PA2087 .H168 1966 and the Alexander Room. While this is “a reliable and readily available descriptive grammar of latin,” its unusual arrangement and poor indexing means many people choose Allen and Greenough. It is also in (re)print and lists at $34, available for $26 at Amazon.

Gildersleeve’s Latin Grammar is still in print, which argues its popularity, especially given that it was first published in 1867 (and substantively revied in 1895). Perhaps it is less comonly used because Gildersleeve was more famous as a Hellenist? I am afraid I am not the best person to compare Gildersleeve to Allen and Greenough in any detail as latin grammar is not a strength of mine. Both are widely available online in out of copyright versions.